"ملف 8/7 I تقارير الاستخبارات في جدة" [ظ‎‎٦‎٩] (٥٣٦/١٣٨)

6
Chapter II .—Frontier (Questions.
Transjordan.
^49. Any few incidents which occurred on the frontier in July and August
were so bound up in the general situation, even if they were not directly connected
with the rebellion, that they are not worth describing. An important general
question arose, however, as to the lie of the frontier itself. The Hejazi Govern
ment had complained on the 9th August of a visit by Captain Glubb's patrols
to Haditha, a place west by north-west of Qaf. This was being dealt with as a
routine matter, when the authorities in Transjordan discovered that a small Nejdi
post had been established at Haditha for some weeks, asserted a strong claim of
their own to Haditha and asked that His Majesty's Government should protest.
They were the more perturbed as the Governor of Qaf was said to intend also to
occupy Hazim, an important water point, which has always been regarded as
J ransjordanian, although Fuad Bey Hamza made a formal reservation on the
subject in conversation with Sir A. Ryan last January.
250. As the frontier has never been delimited on the ground and there are
various defects in the available maps, the question of Haditha assumed in August
a very delicate character. Ihe authorities in Transjordan consider their claim
to be incontestable, but it became a matter for consideration whether this claim
could be asserted without raising an acute question and possibly a controversy
regarding the frontier as a whole. His Majesty's Government were still
examining the matter in consultation with General Wauchope at the end of
August. Meanwhile the Hejazi Government have kept up a small but persistent
stream of protests against alleged violations of the frontier at Haditha and else
where by aeroplanes, cars and patrols from Transjordan. As they all hung
together, all remained unanswered up to the end of August.
^ 251. Permission was given by the Transjordan Government in June for
Sultan-al-Atrash to settle in Transjordan, not further north than Kerak.
Iraq.
252. Nothing was heard in July or August of any development at Judaidat-
al-Arar (see paragraph 187). See paragraph 269 below* as regards political
relations.
Koweit and Bahrein.
253. I here is little to record in connexion with the various questions
adverted to in paragraph 189 of the last report, with one important exception.
On the 19th August Sir A. Ryan, having first prepared the ground in conversation
with luad Bey, addressed to him under instructions two communications. One
was an official note suggesting that effect should be given to the one practicable
proposal which emerged from Colonel Biscoe's discussions on the question of the
Koweit blockade wffien he visited the King at Hasa last January, namely, that
His Majesty and the Sheikh of Koweit should appoint commissioners to discuss
the whole question and seek a solution which would enable trade to be resumed.
At the same time Sir A. Ryan wrote a personal letter drawing attention to the
large claims of Koweit against Nejd, and intimating that they would be waived,
if a satisfactory settlement were reached in the trade negotiations.
254. Ibn Sand's reaction was most disconcerting. He refused to proceed
w ith the proposal for a mixed commission, until the question of the claims, which,
he suggested, \\eie being used as a threat, w r as disposed of. He contended that
he and the Sheikh had mutually w r aived all past claims by an exchange of letters
written after Colonel Biscoe's visit, and, he asserted, as a result of a conversation
during that visit. Fuad Bey sent copies of the two letters in question to
Sir A. Ryan. The latter knew of their existence and understood them to refer
only to small every day claims arising out of minor frontier incidents, such as
had been under discussion for some time. He put this view forward in a further
personal letter to Fuad Bey of the 26th August, and urged in any case that the
King should not let the question of claims stand in the way of the proposal to
appoint commissioners. 1 his letter produced no effect, for Fuad Bev informed
the Minister orally on the 29th August that the King would not move from his
attitude. Thus the whole situation called for a fresh examination at the end
of August.